Our Story

Why I Started Designing

Action Had To Be Taken

• Clear & precise layouts
• Calculations: the system needs to function as intended
• Devices must be mounted to meet code compliance
• The layout has to be clear for installers
• Wiring details are required to eliminate confusion
• Circuit pathing had to be efficient for installation

In 2008 my fire alarm contracting business was launched. I was frustrated with the lack of detail in fire alarm drawing sets, often having to spend more time and labor to complete a fire alarm installation. After all, it's about life safety.

The drawings were incomplete and, in turn, I needed to perform additional calculations or make unnecessary phone calls — acting as a middleman between the designer and the fire marshal. The same frustration was felt by electrical contractors I was working alongside. It was a major issue, and I decided to make a change that benefits everyone involved.

I enrolled in AutoCAD classes and within one year I was extremely proficient in the software. I built a massive library of fire alarm details, Excel calculation sheets, and accurate fire alarm drawings — including code-compliant NFPA-170 fire alarm symbols. I invested in a 24" plotter and began printing my own drawings to create submittals.

The fire marshals were impressed, and I was one of the very few designers in Connecticut adhering to the minimum documentation requirements set forth by the International Building Code (IBC) and the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72).

My crew and I worked off the drawing sets I created, and it took the guesswork out of installation. Other contractors — specifically electrical and other fire alarm contractors — began to notice. I started offering design services and lessened the burden on contractors tasked with bidding and installing a fire alarm with limited knowledge of such a specialized trade. The rest is history.